Kiss Me
by puritysan
Summary: The final battle is over, and it seems a certain Taiyokai has fallen for the 'slip of a human woman'.
1. One

**One: Over**

Finally, it was done.

The battle field had quieted, all that was left was the heavy breathing of her comrades around her. She could feel her own chest rising and falling heavily. She opened her eyes, not having realized she had closed them when she had released that arrow. She had just been going on adrenaline; instinct even, maybe.

_As she pulled back the arrow on her bow, she could hear her name being shouted, but she was looking dead in the eyes of Naraku. He was coming closer to her, and she found it an opening, a moment of weakness. So she had readied her bow, poured as much of her power into that arrow she could muster, causing it to glow brighter than ever before… and she let go._

_There was a scream. A torture filled scream and part of her knew she had hit, but it wasn't until everything went silent around her, did she open her eyes and found herself in the spot she was._

Kagome Higurashi; eighteen, Miko and keeper of the Shikon Jewel; looked around. Barely feet in front of her was Naraku – no, Onigumo – barely alive. She had purified the demon within in, as told by the mark of the spider that was now burned into his back. She looked left, finding where InuYasha, Sesshomaru and Kagura had frozen in place, mid-battle. Kagura had a hand to her chest, gripping tightly and she locked eyes with Kagome. A silent conversation passed between them and Kagura crumpled to the ground as Kagome nodded.

On the other side, Sango and Miroku has also frozen in place, hiraikotsu still high in the air, blocking Kohaku's glaive. The arm holding the weapon fell as he and Sango looked at each other, a wary smile shared between the two. Kohaku was the first to break the silence. "Sis?"

Sango's arms fell, along with hiraikotsu, which make a loud crash as it hit the ground and she threw herself into her brother's arms.

Whole.

Kagome could feel it wash over the battle field. Everyone was whole again, including –

There was a groan, and her incarnation sat up from where Naraku has discarded her. Confused, Kikyo looked around and locked eyes with Kagome. Her brows furrowed slightly, as a silent conversation passed between them, before she pushed herself back up to her feet.

Kagome scanned the battle field once more, with the last of her heightened power. She checked over every single person in her vicinity. They were injured, but not gravely. Everyone was safe.

And she promptly blacked out.

What seemed like moments later, Kagome awoke. She looked around at her surroundings, finding herself lying on a bed roll. She could hear the crackle of a fire. They had make it back to Kaede's hut? When?

A shuffling was heard and her eyes moved to the door way where Kaede entered and smiled, "ah, ye have awakened then, child?"

Kagome sat up with a groan, and instantly regretted doing so as her head spun. She forced herself to remain upright however. Kaede chuckled, "still stubborn as ever."

"Kaede," she managed, but found her throat dry, painful.

Kaede moved quickly, pouring water into a cup and hanging it to Kagome, who drank it much too quickly and ended up in a coughing fit. Kaede patted her on the back chucking. "Ye need to be more careful."

Kagome grinned, rolling her eyes. The water had rejuvenated her, and she was now stretching. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days, child," Kaede replied. "Should I alert the others? Though I'm surprised –"

There was a clamoring at the door, and Inuyasha rushed in, followed by Rin and then Sesshomaru. "Is she okay?"

Kagome swore she saw Sesshomaru roll his eyes as Inuyasha knelt down in front of her, effectively blocking her view and investigating further. InuYasha began to sniff her, as if looking for anything else wrong, causing her to squirm. "Inuyasha!" A bubble of laughter escaped her as she squirmed. "Inu- stop- that tickles! Inuyasha! Sit!"

SMACK.

Inuyasha's face planted itself into the wooden flooring, hard. An eruption of joyous giggles came from Rin, who crawled into Kagome's lap. She looked up at Kagome, inspecting her. "Is Kagome lady ok?"

Kagome smiled at Rin, ignoring the string of obscenities coming from the floor. "Better than ever!"

Rin's eyes brightened, "oh! Kagome! Rin's got a secret for you~"

Kagome rose a brow, "oh? And what's that?"

"Rin thinks…"

"Rin."

Rin's clamped her mouth shut, as Sesshomaru walked over, effectively trodding on Inuyasha's hand as he lowered himself to the floor. A string of obscenities came from the floor once again, and Kagome rolled her eyes. "InuYasha, sit."

A loud groan emitted from InuYasha's whose face returned to making friends with the floor. Rin giggled again, and looked to Sesshomaru. Kagome followed Rin's gaze, locking eyes with Sesshomaru, her mouth opened to speak, but found her words caught in her throat. His eyes, which were once cold pools of stone, were now of warm liquid honey. A pile of emotions swirled within them. Thanks, relief, concern. Kagome blinked and it was gone, but his eyes were not so cold… only steeled.

"This… Sesshomaru hopes you are faring better?"

Kagome didn't notice Rin roll her eyes and sigh. Still slightly in shock, Kagome nodded, "y-yeah. Fine."

A moment passed, as they stared at each other again. "And you, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Kagome noticed a twitch, a slight change in his face, like he was holding back an expression. Upon closer inspection,she saw a slight wrinkling in his nose. "I'm sorry – I –"

"No need for apologies. Please, just Sesshomaru. We are equals."

From his place on the floor, Inuyasha 'keh'd' loudly, and in a muffled grunt, retorted, "always was, you bastard!"

Before Kagome could issue the 'sit' command again, Sesshomaru planted Inuyasha's face back into the floor with a great push on his head. Kagome smiled brightly and laughed mirthfully as InuYasha cussed. Sesshomaru's eyes turned back to Kagome and softened again. _'Maybe it's as Rin says. This won't be that hard after all… But I must see where she stands with my brother…_'

He turned his eyes back to InuYasha, still glued to the floor and smirked. He took his brother by the collar and lifted him from the floor as he stood. "Rin, stay here."

Rin grinned, "kay~"

Kagome looked on at them confused as Sesshomaru literally dragged a struggling and cussing InuYasha out of the hut.

"Rin?"

"Hm~?"

"What were you saying before?"

Rin's eyes got a mischievous glint in them, "Rin's got a secret, but she mustn't tell!"

"About what?"

"Nuh-uh! Secret!"

Kagome wrinkled her nose as the girl, knowing full well she was teasing her. Rin giggled, "don't worry Kagome, I'm sure you'll learn quite soon!"


	2. Two

Two: Change

Once he had managed to get far enough away that he knew they wouldn't be overheard, Sesshomaru released Inuyasha, who stumbled a few feet before straightening and turning a vicious glare to Sesshomaru.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?!"

"I require talking to you," Sesshomaru said coolly, ignoring his brother's rudeness.

"Oh yeah? And what makes you think you could just drag me out here by my collar, ya asshole?!"

"You would've not come willingly if I had not, brother." Sesshomaru replied, rolling his eyes.

"Yer damn right I wouldn't –" Inuyasha stopped, his brother's words sinking in, and his ears, which had been previously twitching angrily, dropped. "Wait, what did you just call me? And did you just roll your eyes?"

Sesshomaru inwardly smirked, "you are my brother are you not? And this Sesshomaru has no idea of the action you speak of."

"Right…" Inuyasha had mellowed out now, still caught off guard by the sudden use of 'brother' and not 'half-breed'. "Wha- whaddya want, anyways?"

Getting straight to the point, Sesshomaru replied, "this Sesshomaru requires your status of your relationship with Kagome."

Inuyasha's ears twitched, "come again?"

Sesshomaru forced himself to keep his face blank, "are you, or are you not, courting Kagome?"

Inuyasha stood there, staring, "are you—are you asking me, what I think you're asking me?"

They stared at each other for one long moment, before Inuyasha suddenly doubled over in silent laughter, and when he looked back up, tears had formed in the corners of his eyes. "You're actually serious?!"

"This Sesshomaru is never not serious." He was getting agitated now.

Inuyasha sobered, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. "What's it to you?"

Sesshomaru growled dangerously, "answer the question, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha snorted, "all right, cool your jets. We're just friends, you hear."

"You're not courting her? Surely…"

Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head. "Don't get me wrong – I thought about it – she certainly seemed interested…" Inuyasha sighed. "But she's more like a sister to me… plus, I've been an ass."

Sesshomaru snorted, "this Sesshomaru witnessed as much over the short time he has traveled with your pack."

"Yeh, well, you don't have to go pointing it out, all right!" Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "Why?"

Sesshomaru rose an eyebrow, as if saying, 'go on.'

"Why- why did you want to know if I was courting her?"

Sesshomaru failed to cover up the roll of his eyes again. "This Sesshomaru believes you've already answered that yourself."

Sesshomaru turned then, walking away from Inuyasha as he busted into laughter again. "I didn't know you were ACTUALLY serious! This is rich! You're really like the old man aren't you?!"

Sesshomaru shook his head as he slipped back into Kagome's hut. She and Rin were now perusing over one of Kagome's many books. From what he could hear it was some sort of fable. He let the bamboo fall with a clatter, causing them both to look up at him and he locked eyes with Kagome. She blushed darkly.

It all started that winter.

Winters in the East were the harshest and it didn't help that the whelp of human girl decided it was a good idea not to pack proper clothing. They were following the trail of a jewel shard, given to them by a village that they had passed through. Apparently it was a lesser demon that was using the shard to steal chickens. How petty. But as they walked, the chattering of the girls teeth and the bickering between she and his half-brother was beginning to get on his nerves. With a silent sigh, he removed the pelt of his father from his shoulders, and draped it over hers.

This caused both she and Inuyasha to cease in their bickering, and to turn and stare at him. He had to resist rolling his eyes. He had come to travel with them just the week before, following the same lead of the demon; while it was for two different reasons, Sesshomaru had agreed it would be beneficial to just, 'team up' as she had said.

The rest of her pack looked apprehensive at the idea, but raised no complaints – at least those with reason. Inuyasha had continued to rant and cuss, however. Kagome promptly sat him and said it was time to set up camp.

And yet, once again he was met with the same astonished stares when he set the pelt on the girl's shoulders. She was the first to move, and locked eyes. When she did, something _changed._

Fluid warmth spread through him, and he found himself unable to say anything. Kagome blinked, adjusting the pelt – inwardly he noted that she looked rather good in it – and spoke. "Thank you."

"It is of no issue," he replied, finally finding his voice.

_And then she smiled_. His beast purred at her response. She turned away, then, unfortunately, with much disappointment to his beast, who expressed so, with a whine in his head. They continued to walk, conversing quietly with each other now. Rin came up beside him on AhUn, wrapped in a thick blanket.

"Kagome Lady is pretty when she smiles, right, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Hn," was his usual reply.

She giggled and went ahead of him, catching up with Kagome.

_Pretty indeed._

Over the next month, he investigated the new… occurrence within himself that arose every time she looked at him, or smiled at him. He would do little things; bring back a kill that would feed the entire group, and when the kill was skinned cleaned and cooked, he couldn't help making sure Kagome got the largest portion. Little to his own knowledge, a certain Demon Slayer had also noticed his actions, knowing all too well what they meant. Little did he know, he had begun the courting process of Kagome. In little ways, he had been trying to prove that he was the 'alpha'. The better male. Sango snickered watching as now Inuyasha was confronting Sesshomaru about tonight's kill.

"And why is it that Kagome always gets the largest portion?!" Inuyasha barked, half smirking.

Sesshomaru 'hn'd' as he usually did, and resumed skinning the kill. Kagome watched the two of them with a curious raise of a brow. Sango was tempted to key her into what was going on, but she figured it was much more entertaining to allow her to figure it out for herself. Like a TV Drama (as Kagome as explained this sort of thing to her before).

Later, maybe two weeks or so, Sesshomaru had separated from them for several hours one day. He returned at sun set with packages wrapped in a heavy blanket. Inside, Kagome revealed, was winter Kimonos – for both her and Rin. The addition of the blanket was also welcoming, as she could feel a cold coming on. Kagome looked to Sesshomaru, gracing him with _that_ smile.

They settled in for camp, that night, and when Kagome awoke the next morning, she found she was unfortunately right. It was then, that Sesshomaru decided that they would break for awhile, as it was useless to continue when one of his pack – he nearly shuddered at the word – was ill. He informed that they were a few hours walking distance from his home, pointed them in the proper direction and then gathered Kagome, wrapped in the blanket he had brought her, in his arms and with AhUn (Rin safely on his back) following, took to the sky.

In minutes they had arrived to Sesshomaru's large mansion, greeted by Sesshomaru's retainer, who made quite a noise upon seeing Kagome. He was promptly quieted by a swift kick from Sesshomaru's foot, and Rin snickering behind her hand. His other staff looked on in quiet, wide eyed wonder as Sesshomaru made his ways through the halls, towards a room that had been warmed by a fire and deposited Kagome on the bed with a soft 'oomph'.

The first thing Kagome noticed was the bed was soft – luxuriously soft. She flopped back, curling up into the blanket and coughed gently. In minutes Sesshomaru returned and she rolled over onto her back to look up at him with lidded eyes, as he sat a bowl of warm water down on the bed side table, dipped a cloth into it and rung it out. Once he was satisfied with the cloth, he placed it over Kagome forehead, catching her off guard entirely. He was tending to her? How sick was she that she was hallucinating this? It couldn't be that bad already…

Here is where they once again locked eyes.

Once again, his eyes were pools of liquid warm honey, full of emotion. This time two prominent ones: worry and panic. She smiled sleepily, and something in his eyes changed again. She laughed lightly. "It's nothing serious, I promise. I've had them loads of times."

This seemed to subdue him slightly, but he was still frowning. "It will not kill you?"

She held back the laugh, "no; especially not with this level of care. I usually just take some medicine and, 'suck it up' as Inuyasha would say."

Sesshomaru growled low. "It would do him better, if he took proper care of his pack."

She laughed and nodded, "yeah, but you know how Inuyasha is…"

"Hn," Sesshomaru retorted, watching as Kagome's eyes drooped.

"I think I might sleep," she mumbled. "Would that be okay?"

He nodded, overwhelmed by the feeling that currently erupted in his chest – and he did something that surprised even him. Just when he was sure that she had fallen asleep, he leaned and in pressed a soft kiss to her temple, and quickly rose and left the room.

Only one person witnessed the exchange and she stood in the hall, brown eyes wide and joyful.

Kagome's 'pack' as he referred to her group that followed her about, arrived a few hours later, having been delayed by a wolf demon that made quite a noise about Kagome's absence in the pack. The news that she had been taken into his care, had seemed to set the wolf into his place. Sesshomaru smirked as the Demon Slayer, Sango, informed him of this exchange. Inuyasha was out, doing who knew what, and Miroku had taken Shippo to the private baths to clean and warm up from the cold. Sango saw this as her opportunity to talk to the demon lord.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she began. He made no noise, but she knew he was listening, as he stood in the kitchen, watching one of the cooks make a bowl of broth, which she assumed was for Kagome. She grinned. "You've been acting… rather fond of Kagome, as of late." Sesshomaru stiffened slightly. "I just wanted to let you know – we approve. Though you probably wouldn't have cared about having our approval or not. Even Inuyasha, regardless of how he acts, agrees with us… as he claims, 'it's better him than the wolf."

An indescribable feeling spread though his chest and he turned toward the Demon Slayer. "You are correct in saying that I wouldn't have cared… but is appreciated."

Sango smirked, "I will also let you know that if you hurt her, you won't live to see another sunrise."

Sesshomaru forced himself not to smile. Like they could kill him, ha! "Noted."

Sango looked to behind her, the sound of two voices echoing in the hall. "I think the boys are done. After she eats, she should probably take a bath. She's probably going crazy."

Sesshomaru nodded, taking the bowl of broth up to Kagome.

It would be another whole month before Kagome realized she was falling for the ice cold taiyokai.


End file.
